The Thanksgiving break is upon us so happy Turkey Day to everyone out there. Before you take off for the holidays, join us Wednesday at the UMass Sports Luncheon held at the Campus Center Room 1009 at 12 Noon. Toot Cahoon, Don Brown and Derek Kellogg are scheduled to speak. Also check out Just Take A Minute with news on the hockey team's tough overtime loss to Vermont last night. JTAM also has news on the Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament changes including the title game being played on CBS starting in 2010 and the first round games being held at higher-seeded schools rather than a neutral site.
From the Daily Item in Eastern Massachusetts, hockey Toot Cahoon is quoted in reference to the Swampscott-Marblehead football rivalry. Cahoon was a quarterback on the 1966 Marblehead team that won the classic.
The Eagle-Tribune in Lawrence, Mass., has a feature story on Derek Kellogg and his Minutemen as he begins his first year as a head coach.
The Springfield Republican has news on the field hockey team's pair of All-Americans freshman goalie Alesha Widdall and sophomore midfielder Makaela Potts.
Look for the first "UMass Hoops Insider" TV Show this Saturday on CBS3 at 11:30 a.m. and here on UMassAthletics.com. Its the new UMass Basketball TV Show.
UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: Check out the UMass photo galleries where you can view photos from many games as well as your chance to purchase the images.
Don't miss this: Happy Thanksgiving. We will take a break from Just Take A Minute over the next few days with the holiday. There will be an update over the weekend before the normal schedule resumes on Monday.
Tuesday, Nov. 25
Its hockey time on Tuesday night at the Mullins Center as UMass takes on Vermont tonight. The Minutemen, fresh off the 4-3 overtime thriller over Boston College last Saturday in front of a sellout and looking for two in a row. If you can make it out to the game, it will air live on CN8 in New England. JTAM also has stories on the men's basketball team's disappointing loss to Jacksonville State last night.
The hockey team is No. 17 in the latest USCHO.com/CBS Sportsline Poll. The Minutemen are second in receiving votes in the 15-team USA Today/USA Hockey poll, basically making them No. 17 in both making them No. 17 in both major polls.
Look for the first "UMass Hoops Insider" TV Show this Saturday on CBS3 at 11:30 a.m. and here on UMassAthletics.com. Its the new UMass Basketball TV Show.
Former UMass player and assistant coach Bill Bayno has taken a leave of absence from his job as the head coach at Loyola Marymouth. ESPN's Andy Katz has a nice piece on all the well-wishers for Bayno including many with UMass connections.
UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: In keeping up with the 100 Seasons Of UMass Basketball, check out this feature: "The Centennial Season Day-By-Day". It has famous notes from dates throughout the basketball season which are also being featured on the ticker above each page on the website.
Don't miss this: Simple choice, return to the Mullins Center tonight for more Hockey East action as UMass takes on Vermont at the unique start time of 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 24
Monday is here which means Derek Kellogg is set for his home debut as head coach of the Minutemen! Game time vs. Jacksonville State is 7 p.m. The weekend was highlighted by one of the most exciting UMass hockey games in recent memory and one of the top college hockey games of the young season. With a sellout crowd (and Mullins Center record) watching, Casey Wellman sent the 8,389 fans home happy with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win. This edition of Just Take A Minute includes many stories on hockey, football's 28-14 win over Hofstra, men's soccer in the NCAA Tournament, and much more!
Ron Chimelis of the Springfield Republican has this preview of the men's basketball home opener tonight at the Mullins Center.
In keeping with the basketball theme, two of UMass' future opponents faced off on Saturday when Boston College fell to the A-10's Saint Louis, 53-50. The Minutemen face the Eagles in the Commonwealth Classic Dec. 6 at the Mullins Center and travel to Saint Louis to face the Billikens on Jan. 14.
Chimelis also has this great piece on the growing interest of hockey in Western Massachusetts. With Saturday's UMass hockey game vs. Boston College drawing a sellout crowd of 8,389 to go along with the Springfield Falcons' crowd of 6,347 the same night, it meant, "Two games, 27 miles apart, drew 14,736 fans."
The Boston Globe heads Saturday's hockey roundup with the Mass Attack's thrilling 4-3 overtime win on Saturday night. It mentions that "Hockey East's glamour teams are finding Amherst an unattractive place," also referring to Boston University's 5-1 defeat at the hands of UMass on Friday, Nov. 14. The Springfield Republican, USCHO, and Boston Herald also ran recaps on the game.
In some baseball news, former UMass star Bob Hansen was honored as one of eight inducted into the Cape Cod League Hall of Fame on Saturday morning. The class included current major leaguers Ben Sheets and Matt Murton.
Central Maine Morning Sentinel included a short recap on UMass women's basketball's 54-45 defeat at the hands of the Maine Black Bears on Sunday afternoon.
The Springfield Republican had a complete recap on the NCAA men's soccer game on Saturday, a 1-0 Harvard (double overtime win). The Harvard Crimson student newspaper also ran a story.
Saturday's Leader Post (Canada) had a mention of James and Williams being good friends from their time together at UMass. As it reads, "On Sunday, they'll be enemies during the Grey Cup, so the friendship is on hold for a few days."
In more good alumni news, this time from the NFL, where the New York Jets' James Ihedigo had three tackles in the Jets' 34-13 win to end Tennessee's bid for a perfect season.
UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: If you can't make it to the men's basketball game tonight, be sure to Watch Live through UMass All-Access.
Don't miss this:Derek Kellogg makes his home coaching debut tonight against Jacksonville State. Also, be sure to check back to UMassAthletics.com as the CAA football All-Conference teams are set to be announced, which should include a bunch of Minutemen selections.
